SPOILERS

Second, this chapter of the podcast I’m flying solo, no wingman. I’m talking about the final season of Carlon Cuse’s brilliant A&E series, Bates Motel.

But again, I spoil. I spoil hard-core.

Forth, and most importantly, this chapter of the podcast opens with me referencing a 15 minute video summary of Bates Motel Seasons 1-4...I implore you to watch it along with me as I play it during the episode. It will help to better visually illustrate the series, seasons one through four.

The series Bates Motel served as a five-season prequel to the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, Psycho. It is an alternate reimagining of Norman Bates, and the world he came from before we met him in the 1960 film.

Freddie Highmore as the tortured and menacing Norman Bates in a role he completely fucking owned. He brought both a child like wonder and a ferocious madness to the roll in ways that must have Brought the demons out of him.

Nicola Peltz as the beautiful and disturbed Bradley Martin. One of my favorites is Nestor Carbonell who plays the local Sheriff Alex Romero…the knight in shining armor to Norma. You can never take your eyes of Nestor, magnetic and commanding, he also owned this role and directed a series of the shows episodes.

Kenny Johnson plays Caleb, norma’s brother and Dylan father. Perfectly cast, Johnson played this character with a spot on complexity and sadness. The awful crimes he has committed were all in the name of protecting the only thing in the world he ever cared for, his sister.

And then there is scene stealer, Ryan Hurst I could write 5,000 words on Hurst. I love him. He pays the man from the woods with a warped moral compass, the hyper intelligent recluse Chick Hogan…and he plays the hell out of him.

Ryan Hurst, Actor: Remember the Titans. Ryan Hurst was born on June 19, 1976 in Santa Monica, California, USA as Ryan Douglas Hurst. He is an actor and production manager, known for Remember the Titans (2000), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Sons of Anarchy (2008).

It was, it is, an exceptional ride.

Endings are tough.

Carton Cuse and company have created a great yarn, a fantastic example of the benefits of long format visual storytelling.

The locations, photography, musical score, editing and pacing of the series…

The storytelling, the casting and overall feel to the entire series was what this golden age of television is all about.

Engaging devilish and tragic, it deserves your attention.

Bravo!!

Now, I wouldn’t listen if you haven’t seen it and want to be surprised.

You’ve been warned.

And lastly, a few words and a song…for Chris Cornell. May he rest in peace.

The song is “4/20” by Pearl Jam, Witten and performed by Eddie Vedder.

A&E chose to skip a pilot of the series, opting to go straight-to-series by ordering a 10-episode first season. On June 15, 2015, the series was renewed for a fourth and fifth season, making Bates Motel A&E's longest-running original scripted drama series in the channel's history.